Saint Joseph Catholic Church

The Roman Martyrology commemorates Blessed Pius IX (1792-1878), who reigned as pope from 1846-1878. He was the last pope to hold temporal power for the Papal States, before they were reformed. He defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 1854 and celebrated the First Vatican Council from 1869 to 1870, which defined the dogma of papal infallibility. He was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II on September 3, 2000.

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Addressing the executive board of the World Health Organization, a Vatican diplomat called for a greater recognition of the value of spiritual assistance for those suffering from mental health challenges.

Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, said recently that “alongside professional mental health care and support, spiritual assistance has the potential to provide a profound sense of belonging, a vital sense of purpose and a compelling narrative of hope, amidst the difficulties of life.”

“When young people realize that they are not accidental by-products of the universe but are created in the image and likeness of God and loved and willed by Him, life acquires meaning, even amidst pain and suffering,” the prelate added.

The bishops of Sierra Leone condemned the “frequent and targeted attacks on our Clergy, Religious and the looting of mission properties.”

Such attacks are an “assault on the peace and spiritual fabric of our country,” the bishops said after an armed robber’s violent January 27 attack on a priest.

Sierra Leone, a West African nation of 9.3 million (map), is 67% Muslim, 19% ethnic religionist, and 11% Christian.

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